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Government
“Today, when a concerted effort is made to obliterate this point, it cannot be repeated too often that the Constitution is a limitation on the government, not on private individuals; that it does not prescribe the conduct of private individuals, only the conduct of the government; that it is not a charter for government power, but a charter of the citizen’s protection against the government.”
–Ayn Rand
Rights relinqished
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Is the global war on terror also an assault on personal liberty and the U.S. Constitution?
Keen observers of history will note that our leaders in government have with great success at various times of crisis convinced the American people that in order to stay “safe” and have a certain level of security and piece of mind, their individual rights must be sacrificed. In those cases the Constitution is completely ignored or trampled upon. Some poignant examples come to mind, Lincoln’s suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War and FDR’s internment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War.
The pattern is the same. A flagrant disregard for the rights of the individual citizen and usurpation of power or authority usually proceeded by some great tragedy or perceived threat. In the 21st century we are told the war on terror provides justification for these violations and require us to re-think the law for our own good to “protect” us from the grave dangers we face.
Some examples:
- NSA warrantless intercepted electronic and telephone communications….direct violation of the 4th Amendment
- Targeted assassinations of US citizens identified as “Terrorists” overseas…direct violation of the 5th & 6th Amendments
- Drones obtrusively observing citizens from above our cities…..direct violation of the 4th Amendment
- Indefinite detentions without trial…. direct violation of the 5th Amendment
- Illegal searches of homes and property for entire city blocks as in the case of the Boston bombing….direct violation of the 4th Amendment.
The danger lies in this. We have placed our trust in representative government to do its job and put people by election in positions of power and authority that will not subvert the process for their own personal gain. We have placed our faith in that they know what they are doing and have respect for the Constitution and will when the crisis has been averted resume the role of guardians of the system and restore the rights of American citizens. In today’s modern bureaucrat’s mind however, he believes he knows what is best for the country and its citizens and will not give up any new found powers granted to him. Once power or authority is co-opted or willingly surrendered to the State it is rarely relinquished without a fight. A fight that usually ends up very bloody.
Choices
A woman can choose to wear clothes more suitable for girls her age and maturity. Too often I see young teenagers wearing clothes that could best be described as “come have sex with me tonight” or “I’m easy” or “slutty”. This is a cultural issue. I have seen girls that look not more than 14 years old like this. Hello Mom & Dad this is where you’re supposed to speak up and just say “NO, you’re definitely not wearing that”. Be firm. It’s been said that males have only one thing on their mind most of the time. Why tempt fate? I never understood those people who let their children dress “sexy”. For what purpose are they doing this, to procreate? To just have sex, really a child? A child dress sexy, why on earth would you tolerate that? If it’s to get attention, that is really sad. There are better ways to get attention. You can be attractive without being sexual suggestive. I understand that humans need to have sex. I understand it’s basic however a human being has to be mature enough to accept the responsibilities that go with having sex.
Progress
About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning cannot be applied to this great charter.
If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final.
No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction cannot lay claim to progress, they are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers…
-President Calvin Coolidge
We the People
Harm
Most of the harm in the world is done by good people, and not by accident, lapse, or omission. It is the result of their deliberate actions, long persevered in, which they hold to be motivated by high ideals toward virtuous ends.
― Isabel Paterson, God of the Machine
The jig is up
“The jig is up the news is out they’ve finally found me. The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty. Never more to go astray, this will be the end today of the wanted man…” . from “Renegade” by Styx
Does anybody have doubts anymore that the IRS and by extension the President was not singling out Tea Party and conservative groups to outrageous levels of scrutiny for political purposes?According to the “official lie” largely debunked local IRS officials in Cincinnati, OH acting on their own initiative targeted conservative groups for added scrutiny. Something by itself was very outside the IRS scope and illegal.
The truth however was Tea Party groups from all across the country have been targeted and have complained of the unfair and illegal actions by the IRS for some time. It was not just the Ohio office and the size and scope of the IRS’s targeting has increasingly become apparent despite the denials from the White House.
Congress has started demanding answers. Just days after issuing her apology, Lerner was called to testify before Congress. In an amazing piece of court room style theater Lerner made an opening statement proclaiming her innocence then pleaded the 5th amendment something that technically cannot be done as once a statement was made she waived her right to plead the 5th. This technicality however was apparently, intentionally overlooked.
Since these revelations have come to light Lerner has fallen on her sword and resigned from the IRS (and now receiving taxpayer pension). She’s also recently been called back to testify again before Representative Darrell Issa and committee to answer no doubt some very awkward questions. Unfortunately, all we, the American taxpayers, heard from Lerner was “On the advice of my counsel I respectfully exercise my fifth amendment right and decline to answer that question”.
So we may never know the truth unless Congress decides to hold Lerner in contempt of Congress or promises her some immunity deal. For someone who is so “innocent” of any wrongdoing why does she look and act so guilty? If there is nothing to hide why plead the 5th? The Obama Administration has denied any wrongdoing going so far as to say there is not a smidgen of corruption at the IRS. What a load of rubbish.
Democrats and the White House would have us believe he is not responsible for the IRS scandal just like he’s not responsible for people losing the insurance coverage as a result of Obamacare, or responsible for high unemployment. He’s not responsible for the abject failures of Fast and Furious or Benghazi where our Ambassador and his security detail was left to die at the hands of Muslim hordes. Obama appears to be the Teflon President not guilty or responsible for anything.
Like John Gotti, the dapper Don, who was once also known for his non-sticking qualities, maybe this President will experience just one too many scandals and his minions won’t be willing to take the fall for him. Maybe one day soon Barrack Hussein Obama will be held accountable.
“…The jig is up, the news is out they finally found me. The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty. Never more to go astray. The judge’ll have revenge today on the wanted man..”
One can only hope.
Life, liberty, …
Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place. ― Frédéric Bastiat, The Law
King Obama?
Article 1. Section 1. All legislative Powers, herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
Simply translated it means all law making Powers are granted to the Congress. Note that nowhere in the Constitution does it say an Executive is granted powers of law making. It is conspicuously absent. It is important to note that an executive who can arbitrarily make and break laws has put himself by default above the law to the position of monarch or dictator. King George comes to mind. Josef Stalin comes to mind. Kim Jong-Un of North Korea comes to mind. We don’t allow that in this country, or do we?
The President’s actions in ordering changes and delays in implementation for the largely unpopular Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) are good illustrations of how the power of executive orders is being abused for political purposes. Some observers have suggested that the timing of these delays coincidentally fall after the mid-term elections of 2014. The President has side-stepped the only real chance the citizens have of voicing their discontent. When people start getting their insurance cancellation notices, employment terminations, and start experiencing the real negative effects of Obamacare kicking in, their chance to hold their elected representatives responsible will have come and gone. Convenient huh?
Since February 7, 2013 the President has altered, changed or delayed the implementation of the Affordable Care Act by executive fiat thirteen times according to the New York Times. The White House points to the Internal Revenue Code as its justification for the Obamacare delays. They argue that the Internal Revenue Service has the authority to “prescribe all needful rules and regulations” for enforcing the tax code. In July, before the Ways and Means House Subcommittee on Health, J. Mark Iwry, the deputy assistant Treasury secretary for health policy, said this administrative authority has been used to provide transition relief for taxpayers seeking to comply with new legislation, and to provide a wide range of other guidance. In particular, on a number of prior occasions across Administrations, this authority has been used to postpone the application of new legislation when immediate application would have subjected taxpayers to unreasonable administrative burdens or costs.”
Legal experts however state this power to delay is not unlimited. Nicolas Bagley a University of Michigan law professor who studies administrative and health law stated in a recent interview “The administration’s position is an aggressive one, and the legal basis for the delay isn’t altogether secure,” said Mr. Bagley. The same argument the White House is making could be used by future administrations to justify putting off just about any change in the tax code that Congress makes, he said, calling it a potential concern. “
This president has set records for the number of executive orders issued since he occupied the White House. The count is well over 13,000 and growing and is more than any other US president in history. This President has clearly demonstrated a blatant disregard for the US Constitution and the separation of powers, its underlying framework. In his most recent State of the Union address President Obama promised to act if Congress will not. There it was for all to see, his contempt for the process. He will legislate from the White House if Congress will not. He is willing to ignore the Constitution and unilaterally taken it upon himself to legislate by executive order and even more disgusting he received rousing applause in support from his Democrat cohorts for this very un-American idea.
If you haven’t already noticed this country is in trouble. We have a sitting President willing to circumvent the Constitution. We have a sizable percent of the Congress going along with that idea. We have a sycophant press corps and media apparatus willing to go along. Perhaps most disturbing is we have a big percentage of the US population more than willing to surrender their hard fought independence to self-proclaimed government experts in all matters of their life to include healthcare. Does America want a King again? Are we not capable of making decisions for ourselves and so must have a strong leader to look out for us? It sure looks like it doesn’t it?
PaladinHouse.com 